"Planting trees too close to the house or driveway — without considering how big they're going to get — creates major problems later. Roots can cause breaks in pavement, which might raise your homeowners insurance or make it hard for you get a policy until the problem is fixed. Before you plant anything, think about how it will look in twenty years." – Chris Winn of Kellar Williams/Advantage Group

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

3 of 14

Getty Images

3. Letting your entryway languish

"A front door lock that doesn't work properly or hardware that looks old and pitted makes buyers uneasy and puts them on high alert for what else has been let go in the house." –Donna Marie Baldwin of Coldwell Banker

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

4 of 14

Getty Images

4. Expecting big returns on a pool

"People spend a lot of money putting in a pool and want to recoup the value when they go to sell their home. Unfortunately, you'll never get back the full cost of the pool." – Chris Winn of Kellar Williams/Advantage Group

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

5 of 14

Getty Images

5. Fussing with the fireplace

"Be cautious if you're thinking about updating the fireplace, especially if you want to paint over exposed brick. If the look isn't trendy when you go to sell, it could lower your home's value. People tend to like the aesthetic of exposed brick." – Chris Winn

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

6 of 14

Getty Images

6. Skimping on an AC system

"Always pay for the next system up for your home's size. Paying more initially will bring down your power bill while you live there and will up the value when you sell." – Chris Winn

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

7 of 14

Getty Images

7. Getting too complicated with paint

"It might be trendy to paint the trim a contrasting color, but it distracts the eye. Keep it the same color as the wall to maximize the space." – Davida Hogan, home stager at Edited Style

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

8 of 14

Getty Images

8. Holding onto old appliances

"Pay attention to the brand and quality of your major kitchen appliances. If something is classic and well maintained, that's positive. But a piece you can't clean well needs to be replaced. People don't want to move in and have to buy all new appliances." – Pam Baldwin Foarde

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

9 of 14

Getty Images

9. Neglecting the small stuff

"Buyers have their eye on details you might forget. Keep up with cleaning and maintaining windows, making sure light switches work, or ensure the garbage disposal runs properly — these things show that the house has been cared for." – Davida Hogan

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

10 of 14

Getty Images

10. Skipping a deep clean

"Even the tiniest details matter when it comes to cleaning. The tracks of windows, sinks, grout, ovens, and appliances are all scruntinized by buyers." – Donna Marie Baldwin

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

11 of 14

Getty Images

11. Trying too many trends

"Buyers aren't attracted to trendy — they are looking for kitchens or bathrooms in classic, neutral colors. If you want to add color and personality to your home use bright accessories to bring in fun details. They're much easier to change." – Pam Baldwin Foarde

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

12 of 14

Getty Images

12. Choosing hard-to-clean surfaces

"Make sure you spend money on the correct cleaners for your countertops. Permanent stains on kitchen and bathroom counters mean the whole piece will need to be replaced." – Pam Baldwin Foarde

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

13 of 14

Getty Images

13. Thinking too small

"Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. That being said, you always want to make a small space feel as big as possible. Don't re-tile a small bathroom with small tiles; they only make it feel smaller. Use bigger tiles; they'll open the space up." – Davida Hogan

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

14 of 14

Getty Images

14. Neglecting your wood floors

"I recently refinished the floors in my own home and found out that you shouldn't clean them with water and vinegar because it dulls them over time. Also, instead of refinishing, you can have your floors buffed every few years." – Pam Baldwin Foarde

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Country Living participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.